diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/spectrum_switchdev.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/spectrum_switchdev.c
index 617fb22b5d81..7dbeafa65934 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/spectrum_switchdev.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/mellanox/mlxsw/spectrum_switchdev.c
@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@
 #include <linux/if_bridge.h>
 #include <linux/workqueue.h>
 #include <linux/jiffies.h>
+#include <linux/rtnetlink.h>
 #include <net/switchdev.h>
 
 #include "spectrum.h"
@@ -812,6 +813,7 @@ static void mlxsw_sp_fdb_notify_work(struct work_struct *work)
 
 	mlxsw_sp = container_of(work, struct mlxsw_sp, fdb_notify.dw.work);
 
+	rtnl_lock();
 	do {
 		mlxsw_reg_sfn_pack(sfn_pl);
 		err = mlxsw_reg_query(mlxsw_sp->core, MLXSW_REG(sfn), sfn_pl);
@@ -824,6 +826,7 @@ static void mlxsw_sp_fdb_notify_work(struct work_struct *work)
 			mlxsw_sp_fdb_notify_rec_process(mlxsw_sp, sfn_pl, i);
 
 	} while (num_rec);
+	rtnl_unlock();
 
 	kfree(sfn_pl);
 	mlxsw_sp_fdb_notify_work_schedule(mlxsw_sp);
diff --git a/drivers/net/ethernet/rocker/rocker.c b/drivers/net/ethernet/rocker/rocker.c
index e9f2349e98bc..52ec3d6e056a 100644
--- a/drivers/net/ethernet/rocker/rocker.c
+++ b/drivers/net/ethernet/rocker/rocker.c
@@ -3531,12 +3531,14 @@ static void rocker_port_fdb_learn_work(struct work_struct *work)
 	info.addr = lw->addr;
 	info.vid = lw->vid;
 
+	rtnl_lock();
 	if (learned && removing)
 		call_switchdev_notifiers(SWITCHDEV_FDB_DEL,
 					 lw->rocker_port->dev, &info.info);
 	else if (learned && !removing)
 		call_switchdev_notifiers(SWITCHDEV_FDB_ADD,
 					 lw->rocker_port->dev, &info.info);
+	rtnl_unlock();
 
 	rocker_port_kfree(lw->trans, work);
 }
diff --git a/net/bridge/br.c b/net/bridge/br.c
index a1abe4936fe1..3addc05b9a16 100644
--- a/net/bridge/br.c
+++ b/net/bridge/br.c
@@ -121,6 +121,7 @@ static struct notifier_block br_device_notifier = {
 	.notifier_call = br_device_event
 };
 
+/* called with RTNL */
 static int br_switchdev_event(struct notifier_block *unused,
 			      unsigned long event, void *ptr)
 {
@@ -130,7 +131,6 @@ static int br_switchdev_event(struct notifier_block *unused,
 	struct switchdev_notifier_fdb_info *fdb_info;
 	int err = NOTIFY_DONE;
 
-	rtnl_lock();
 	p = br_port_get_rtnl(dev);
 	if (!p)
 		goto out;
@@ -155,7 +155,6 @@ static int br_switchdev_event(struct notifier_block *unused,
 	}
 
 out:
-	rtnl_unlock();
 	return err;
 }
 
diff --git a/net/switchdev/switchdev.c b/net/switchdev/switchdev.c
index f34e535e93bd..d5d7132ac847 100644
--- a/net/switchdev/switchdev.c
+++ b/net/switchdev/switchdev.c
@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 #include <linux/list.h>
 #include <linux/workqueue.h>
 #include <linux/if_vlan.h>
+#include <linux/rtnetlink.h>
 #include <net/ip_fib.h>
 #include <net/switchdev.h>
 
@@ -565,7 +566,6 @@ int switchdev_port_obj_dump(struct net_device *dev, struct switchdev_obj *obj,
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(switchdev_port_obj_dump);
 
-static DEFINE_MUTEX(switchdev_mutex);
 static RAW_NOTIFIER_HEAD(switchdev_notif_chain);
 
 /**
@@ -580,9 +580,9 @@ int register_switchdev_notifier(struct notifier_block *nb)
 {
 	int err;
 
-	mutex_lock(&switchdev_mutex);
+	rtnl_lock();
 	err = raw_notifier_chain_register(&switchdev_notif_chain, nb);
-	mutex_unlock(&switchdev_mutex);
+	rtnl_unlock();
 	return err;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(register_switchdev_notifier);
@@ -598,9 +598,9 @@ int unregister_switchdev_notifier(struct notifier_block *nb)
 {
 	int err;
 
-	mutex_lock(&switchdev_mutex);
+	rtnl_lock();
 	err = raw_notifier_chain_unregister(&switchdev_notif_chain, nb);
-	mutex_unlock(&switchdev_mutex);
+	rtnl_unlock();
 	return err;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(unregister_switchdev_notifier);
@@ -614,16 +614,17 @@ EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(unregister_switchdev_notifier);
  *	Call all network notifier blocks. This should be called by driver
  *	when it needs to propagate hardware event.
  *	Return values are same as for atomic_notifier_call_chain().
+ *	rtnl_lock must be held.
  */
 int call_switchdev_notifiers(unsigned long val, struct net_device *dev,
 			     struct switchdev_notifier_info *info)
 {
 	int err;
 
+	ASSERT_RTNL();
+
 	info->dev = dev;
-	mutex_lock(&switchdev_mutex);
 	err = raw_notifier_call_chain(&switchdev_notif_chain, val, info);
-	mutex_unlock(&switchdev_mutex);
 	return err;
 }
 EXPORT_SYMBOL_GPL(call_switchdev_notifiers);